diff --git a/src/mind/mod.rs b/src/mind/mod.rs
index 751cc05..902bdd3 100644
--- a/src/mind/mod.rs
+++ b/src/mind/mod.rs
@@ -361,8 +361,11 @@ impl Mind {
             tokio::select! {
                 biased;
 
-                Some(cmd) = input_rx.recv() => {
-                    cmds.push(cmd);
+                cmd = input_rx.recv() => {
+                    match cmd {
+                        Some(cmd) => cmds.push(cmd),
+                        None => break, // UI shut down
+                    }
                 }
 
                 Some(bg) = bg_rx.recv() => {
diff --git a/src/user/event_loop.rs b/src/user/event_loop.rs
index 34d789c..fe8f309 100644
--- a/src/user/event_loop.rs
+++ b/src/user/event_loop.rs
@@ -287,22 +287,15 @@ pub async fn run(
 
     terminal.hide_cursor()?;
 
-    // Startup info
     let _ = ui_tx.send(UiMessage::Info("consciousness v0.3 (tui)".into()));
-    {
-        let ag = agent.lock().await;
-        let _ = ui_tx.send(UiMessage::Info(format!("  model: {}", ag.model())));
-        // Replay restored conversation to UI
-        if !ag.entries().is_empty() {
-            ui_channel::replay_session_to_ui(ag.entries(), &ui_tx);
-            let _ = ui_tx.send(UiMessage::Info("--- restored from conversation log ---".into()));
-        }
-    }
 
-    // Initial render
+    // Initial render — don't wait for Mind to init
     app.drain_messages(&mut ui_rx);
     terminal.draw(|f| app.draw(f))?;
 
+    // Replay conversation after Mind init completes (non-blocking check)
+    let mut startup_done = false;
+
     loop {
         tokio::select! {
             biased;
@@ -342,6 +335,19 @@ pub async fn run(
                 idle_state.decay_ewma();
                 app.update_idle(&idle_state);
 
+                // One-time: replay conversation after Mind init
+                if !startup_done {
+                    if let Ok(ag) = agent.try_lock() {
+                        if !ag.entries().is_empty() {
+                            ui_channel::replay_session_to_ui(ag.entries(), &ui_tx);
+                            let _ = ui_tx.send(UiMessage::Info("--- restored from conversation log ---".into()));
+                        }
+                        let _ = ui_tx.send(UiMessage::Info(format!("  model: {}", ag.model())));
+                        startup_done = true;
+                        dirty = true;
+                    }
+                }
+
                 // Diff MindState — generate UI messages from changes
                 {
                     let cur = shared_mind.lock().unwrap();
@@ -444,9 +450,11 @@ pub async fn run(
                 }
                 _ => {
                     let mut s = shared_mind.lock().unwrap();
-                    diff_mind_state(&s, &prev_mind, &ui_tx, &mut dirty);
+                    let n = s.clone();
                     s.input.push(input);
-                    prev_mind = s.clone();
+                    drop(s);
+                    diff_mind_state(&n, &prev_mind, &ui_tx, &mut dirty);
+                    prev_mind = n;
                 }
             }
         }